Directions:
Preheat to 400 degrees F.
Cut the squash lengthwise and remove seeds and strings. Brush the cut surfaces with the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place squash, skin side up, onto a sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the flesh is soft when you poke the skin with your finger. Set aside and let cool. When cool, scoop out the flesh with a large spoon.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add the onions, shallots, garlic, and thyme. Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent.
Add the squash and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Puree the squash in a blender or food processor.
Return to the pot. Just before serving add the cream and truffle oil and bring back to just a simmer. If you boil the soup after you add the truffle oil, you will lose most of that flavor. Season to taste and serve hot.

Profiterole Stuffed with Sausage Tomato Ragout

Profiterole Recipe

Ingredients:

1 c. water

8 tbsp. (1 stick) salted butter

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. sifted all-purpose flour

4 lg. eggs

1 tsp. sugar

1 egg beaten together with 1/2 tsp. milk

Directions:

In a heavy-bottomed, 2 quart saucepan, combine the water, butter and salt. Bring to a boil. When all butter is melted, remove from heat and immediately pour in all the flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball around the spoon and leaves sides of pan clean. Make a depression in the middle of the dough and add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until the mixture is smooth and the eggs thoroughly absorbed.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the mixture in a pastry bag with a plain tip or no tip and pipe out the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet. The dough should be about ½ inch in diameter and an ½ inch high. Leave about 1 inch between puffs. With a pastry brush, glaze the tops of the puffs with the egg mixture, making sure not to drizzle any of the glaze onto the baking sheet.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are firm and golden brown. They should be about double in size. About 5 minutes before removing the oven, pierce each puff with a sharp knife to allow the steam to escape. Remove the oven and cool.

Tomato and Sausage Ragout Recipe

Ingredients:

1 large onion, medium diced

12 ounces Italian sausages, casings removed and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

28 ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

4 ounces Mascarpone Cheese

salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Remove sausage from casings and pulse in a food processor until crumbled with large chunks. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add sausage and sauté 6 minutes or until browned. Remove sausage from pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add onions and sauté for 3 minute. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in sausage, tomatoes, broth and wine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium; simmer gently for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Right before serving, stir in the mascarpone and fresh basil.

Mushroom and Fontina Puffs

Duxelle Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. mushrooms

8 shallots

4 Garlic Cloves

1/4 c. chopped parsley

Few drops of fresh squeezed lemon

Salt & pepper

3 tbsp. Olive Oil

Directions:

In the Food Processor chop the shallots and garlic until fine. Now pulse the mushrooms. Do not over chop. You want a wet sand look not puréed. In a large pot, cook the shallots and garlic until translucent. Add mushrooms mixture, salt, pepper and a few drop of lemon juice to a pan and bring up to a simmer. The Mushrooms will release a lot of moisture. Stir over medium heat until all moisture has completely evaporated. Stir in chopped parsley. Let cool.

Mushroon FontinaFilling Recipe

Ingredients:

4 ounces Fontina Cheese shredded

4 ounces Ricotta Cheese

8 Ounces Mushroom Duxelle

¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano

3 each egg Yolk

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Just combine all of these ingredients well

Easy Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or chips

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

1 Tablespoon Rum (optional)

1 cup Heavy Cream, Very cold

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the Vanilla and rum if desired. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

While the ganache is cooling, put cold cream and powdered sugar into chilled mixing bowl and whisk until stiff peak.